Through a Pirate's Eyes
by nalagaOcean777
Summary: We all know what happened in Link's point of view during his trials in the Windwaker. But what about Tetra? What had she been up to between the time she let Link secure Nayru's Pearl to when she saved his life in the Forsaken Fortress? This is my guess...
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yeah, you could say this is my first Zelda fic. My apologies if some of the dialogue doesn't turn out exactly the same as in the game. I also beg forgiveness if I happen to mix up names or mess up concepts…blah blah blah…right, now let's get on with the actual story already, shall we?

Disclaimer: I own it…in my dreams, perhaps…and in my heart…

* * *

_He raised the large, cruel gold blade high in the air…it was a red-tasseled thing, beautiful in its own way, and yet a deadly evil permeated its surroundings and its very contours, an evil spawned only after the taking of many lives, the spilling of innocent blood. And now it reared in his dark, weathered hand, eager to take yet another, to snuff the spark of the small, green-clad individual crumpled before it…_

_Fear for Link rushed in like a cold twilight tide in her heart, clenching her chest in an iron fist. She leapt forward from her perch with a strangled cry, desperate to save him, even as the blade sang through the air… _

Tetra awoke with a small cry, struggling frantically against strangling hands that had taken hold of her neck…but the browned fingers suddenly disappeared, and she found herself instead being wrapped by the thick blanket of her bed. With a sigh she forced herself to ease, falling limp into the caress of the thick mattress, slowing her pounding heart to match the gentle rock of the ship. She closed her eyes, listening to the murmuring creak of timbers, the muffled shouts and commands of that idiot Gonzo somewhere up above her head, and the hissing tap tap tap of rain, rain pounding the deck.

Tetra opened her eyes again, feeling surprised. She let her gaze roam the small room…fortunately, the thick violet curtain was still pulled down over the entrance, away from prying pirate eyes. The tulip-bulb lamp on the desk to her right was still lit, however, and charts and maps were sprawled across in a pell-mell messiness that was unusual for her usually meticulous habits of organization. She blinked, letting her sight drift instead to the wooden ceiling over her head, mostly dark and dancing with the pearly flame of the lamp. The back of her neck prickled as she was suddenly greeted with the memory of the horrifyingly powerful hands around her neck, of the cruel gold blade rising in the air, seconds away from cutting Link in half…

Tetra winced, feeling irritated. She flung away the covers of her bed in annoyance, feet touching the floorboards as she stretched, chastising herself. Inexcusable, falling asleep in the middle of some important charting. If she'd have caught one of her men at it she would have docked his pay in three seconds flat. Grumbling to herself and adjusting the red kerchief around her throat, she smoothed down her wrinkled blue garb and felt for the tiny saber at her belt, which was still there. So what if she had slept in her clothes? It was a usual habit of pirates, something to be expected. And she was captain of this ship, besides. She had every right to sleep in…

Scowling, Tetra took a seat at the desk and surveyed the mass of browned parchment before her. She had been in the midst of reconstructing the now shattered shorelines of Greatfish Isle the night before…and again she winced and rose to her feet once more. It was no use. She couldn't stop thinking about it now…

Irritation returning in full force, Tetra turned away from the table and instead paced towards the entrance of her room, turning around as she approached the violet curtain and pacing back to the other end. Several things were chasing through her mind in incessant circles…the devastation of Greatfish Isle…the words of that postman, Quill…

"Well, the kid's alive," she muttered to herself, stopping in the middle of the room. She swept a hand across her forehead in agitation, brushing the strands of her bright yellow hair from her eyes. "You've got enough to worry about as it is…he's perfectly all right…he can defend himself…"

And yet…

"It was only a dream!" Tetra bit her lip, feeling angry at herself. "That's all…a dream!"

_"This isle was destroyed by a great power, greater than you could ever imagine…"_

_"And why? What kind of treasure could this island have possessed to be taken out like this?"_

_"…I don't know if I should say…but the power…that power is after a great fish spirit, one named Jabun. He guards a sacred pearl, something that this isle's destroyer seeks…"_

_"All this…for a pearl? Sounds pretty valuable…pity it's already taken…"_

_"That is not so, actually. I - oh dear…"_

_"Oh, so it's still around, is it? Come on, bird-boy, spill the beans. Where's this pearl?"_

_"I - well -"_

_"Yes?"_

_"It's…the great spirit now resides where Link was born…"_

_"What, Outset Island?"_

_"…Yes…"_

_"…Hmph. Well, alright then! Boys, charter a path for Outset and make it quick!" _

_"What?! No - wait - you cannot do that! The pearl -"_

_"Eh, ruffle down your feathers, why don't you? We're going for that treasure. No way some great power's gonna beat us to it and destroy Outset too. You just wait and see!"_

_"No - no, wait! …Oh…" _

A great power…the memory of the remains of Greatfish Isle still made her blood run cold. What could possibly be so strong as to do that to an island? Tetra shivered - she almost didn't want to find out. And then her irritation returned. How could she have been so stupid?

She groaned inwardly to herself. It already felt as though the very fate of Outset and its inhabitants now rested on her shoulders. So much precious time, lost because of her own foolishness…of course a fish spirit would barricade himself behind a slab of rock in a seaside cave, with that kind of power chasing after him! And they had tried to break in, with no proper ammunition whatsoever…it had been fated for them to fail miserably.

But no…she wouldn't give up so easily. Not her, Tetra, captain of her pirate crew! Not when so much was at stake…so much more than the treasure…

She could still remember that kid's horrified face when his sister had been snatched away by that giant bird, how he had nearly killed himself trying to save her. Such bold-faced abandon for his own safety still made her uneasy. She wouldn't have thrown herself off a cliff for the greatest wealth in all the world…but then there had always been something weird about that Link, something simply different…and he had almost no family either…no one but his sister and that tiny grandma…

"How does he do it?" Tetra found herself speaking to a portrait above a set of drawers, one of the few in the room, and she stopped, gazing at the woman that looked back at her with solemn eyes. Her mother…

Tetra blinked as the ship suddenly rocked violently, perhaps under a mighty swell of the ocean beneath her feet, and her position came back to her as easily as her ability to steady herself. What was she doing? Going sentimental in the middle of an impending disaster…the worst thing to happen to a pirate was to lose treasure when you knew exactly where it was and how to get to it. It was time to pull herself back together.

"No more deep thoughts, you hear?" Tetra spoke half to herself and half to the portrait. Her mother gazed back, eternally solemn and silent. Tetra swallowed, then shook her head, clearing it of all the hazy thoughts. Never again would she involuntarily sleep like that, in the middle of a vital charting. All this thinking was giving her a headache, besides.

Customary scowl now gracing her sun-browned features, Tetra raised herself upright, assuming the commanding air of a grumpy ship captain whose crew slacked off far too much for her liking. She stepped out of the room, flinging the curtain that blocked entry aside.

A word of salty greeting was already halfway out of her mouth before Tetra looked around and realized that Nudge, the fool usually guarding her room, was nowhere to be seen. The intersection connecting the deck above to the belly of the ship holding supplies below was quite empty, apart from the torches in their brackets, flickering flames lighting the stairway.

A grumble of thunder met her ears, muffled but just loud enough to be heard, and Tetra's frown deepened. Suddenly the pattering of rain seemed much heavier than before. A real storm was brewing…how convenient. And the man guarding her room had probably been summoned up to help tack the sail while she had been asleep…wonderful. How much worse were things going to get? It were as though the very goddesses were trying to stop her…or something else, something more sinister…the memory of that tall, dark man flashed back through her mind, and Tetra involuntarily shuddered, even as she began climbing the set of stairs to the door leading to the deck above. Surely no one could gain such power as to bend the very weather to his will…?

…Or destroy an island…

She pulled open the door, and a great gust of wind, followed almost instantly by a nail-like spray of rain in her face, harshly returned Tetra to reality, and the present. With a gasp she flung up an arm to shield her face as another briny blast of spray nearly blinded her, soaking her completely and thoroughly. The wind wailed, a plaintive cry that chilled her to the very bone, taking hold of her mind even as she yanked the door shut behind her and struggled to see beyond the flying droplets of water that pelted from the pitch-black heavens roiling with cloud above, stark against the water-darkened mast of the ship. The wind lamented on, a song that seemed beyond the mere whistle and flap of the massive sail that fluttered over her head, a cry that spoke of a deep-rooted fear, a warning that strummed every one of Tetra's nerves. The tormented air-currents seemed to carry a warped note in its song, a reek, a familiar intone that Tetra could not rightfully place, though she knew she had heard its like before, not long ago -

"Cap'n!"

Tetra blinked, half to clear her eyes of water, half to clear her mind of all the tumultuous thoughts, and squinted, scowl deepening at the tall figure that staggered to her.

"…Senza? Is that you? I can't see a thing in this blasted storm…"

"Aye, 'tis me, Cap'n." The bearded, heavily built man emerged from the thick curtain of rain seconds later, his violet garb dripping profusely. Any other day he would have been busy making sure the ship was running in tip-top shape, or perhaps tending to the catapult situated on the back deck of the ship. The weapon was his pride and joy, having built it himself, and the thing had proven useful enough over the years. He also had a good sense of lore about him, though none of those qualities appeared now, on the rain-drenched deck of the rocking ship. Tetra took advantage of his immediate presence.

"How long has it been since I fell asl - I mean, since I went down below to finish up my charting?" she snapped, wiping a water-drenched strand of yellow hair away from her eyes.

"Well…can' be rightly sure in this storm, Cap'n, but I'd say you were down from dawn 'til round twilight."

"_What?_"

"Eh, I don't know the reason meself, Cap'n!" Senza seemed to flinch at her very reprimand. "We was making fine leeway for Win'fall, jus' as ye asked, and this here storm right sprung up fro' nowheres! Been gettin' worse since. Can' rightly tell nothin' 'bout time, see…the hours tell the tales, s'far as I know, and 'tis been many an hour indeed since this tide o' thunder an' lightnin' fell."

Tetra's scowl deepened even further. She knew she couldn't have slept for any more than a few hours at the least…there was no way it could have been that long…yet, if night had really fallen…

"Well, how is the route now?" she inquired at length, wincing as another blast of rain slapped her face. "Are we still on the right course? How has the wind fared?"

"I's say we still have it straight, Cap'n." Senza, if anything, seemed relieved to be able to distribute some good news for a change. "Zuko up there a' the crow's nest, he still sees the passin' isles, even in this 'ere storm. Sharp eyes, 'e does have. From what I can rightly decipher, since he don' talk much as you know, we be goin' the right way, as of a few minutes afore hand."

"…Good. How long until we reach shore?"

"Naught more than a good half hour, methinks. We already within the bound'ries, 'nless Zuko's eyes should prove wrong."

"Excellent." A brief smile flickered across Tetra's stern features, a smile so fleeting it wasn't caught by Senza himself. "Tell that Gonzo to keep his arms straight and steady, then, or he'll be finding himself dangling a few lines away from overboard." The ship itself lurched over what felt like a thick swell, as though to emphasize her point. "And when you can, inform Zuko that I'm pleased with his work. When this is done, I might give him a raise in shares, when we get a hold of…the treasure." Tetra paused, then cast the pirate a sharp glare to be seen even through the heavy curtains of rain. "I hope you can remember that, Senza?"

"Oh! Aye - yes Cap'n, 'course! Right away, Cap'n!"

"Good." Tetra watched, arms folded, as the great man turned and quickly lumbered away, into the thick wall of water than pounded from the sky. She blinked again, water droplets cascading from her lashes, and shook her head, sending more water flying. Then she began plodding to the helm of the ship, bent slightly against the pelting rain. She stayed near the rail despite the rocking of her vassal, avoiding Gonzo, and instead rested a foot on the prow when she managed to finally reach the hull, squinting through the rain and gazing out over the vast expanse of gray that stretched out beyond. Sure enough, she could see the form of an island looming ahead - Windfall Island.

She'd get a hold of those bombs, no matter what it took. And then they'd travel back, back to Outset…hopefully before the force after that fish spirit arrived.

* * *

"What?"

The glare Tetra set on the man at the counter could have made the average sailor flinch, but unfortunately for 'Bomb-Master' Cannon, he did not seem to understand the meaning of it, nor the warning it contained.

Tetra, one might say, was in a relatively bad mood already. She was soaked to the skin, water still dripping from her yellow hair, though the rain had eased up when they had laid anchor behind Windfall's peninsula a few minutes before. In addition to that she knew that time, precious time, was trickling through her fingers with the inexorability of a handful of sand at a beach. She was horribly aware that every second they lingered and dallied here brought that terrible power closer and closer to Outset, and its ultimate destruction. And yet, here before her, this arrogant, sallow-faced man with his ridiculous hair and his pinched expression did not seem to understand her urgency.

"…Let me get this straight." Her words about as deadly and inwardly seething as the most lethal poison, Tetra leaned a little closer to the counter, despite the fact that her head just barely reached the edge. Behind her, near the door through which they had entered, Gonzo and the rest of the rather soggy pirate crew exchanged terrified glances. When their Captain was this angry at someone, the usual thing to do was run for cover. And this man was about to get the full blast.

Tetra never broke her intense gaze, her dark eyes boring into the crinkled ones of Cannon. "You're telling me…that for thirty bombs alone, I have to pay…three hundred Rupees?" She leaned even closer than before, her fury edging into her voice as well as her eyes. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? That's ludicrous. No one, not the richest man on this island, could afford prices like that."

Cannon merely snorted. "Well, that's too bad, I'm afraid!" he snapped pleasantly, his voice about as high and wheezy as his nose, which was severely crooked. Abruptly, however, the pleasant cheerfulness on his face evaporated, and his eyes popped slightly as he continued, "But if you can't pay the price, than you're going to have to get out of here this instant!" His voice spluttered slightly, and he brandished a finger at her, the pudgy digit resembling a roll of salami despite Cannon's short stature. "I'm the one who invented these bombs, I and only myself! For I am the one and only Bomb-Master Cannon! I'd say they're well worth every Rupee. Now begone, you sea-rats!" he added harshly. "You're not wanted here!"

There was a moment of thick silence. The heavy ticking of machinery behind the counter was, for a moment, the only real sound. Then Tetra spoke, her voice easy, casual. She stepped back, hands on her hips.

"Well then…if you're going to be that way, I suppose we have no choice…" She sighed in mock regret, then turned to Gonzo. "Well, you louts, you know what to do. Get to it already."

"Aye aye, Cap'n!"

Tetra turned back to Cannon, folding her arms and looking on nonchalantly as her crew rushed forward in a synchronized chorus of acknowledgement. Cannon could only splutter and shriek in outrage as Gonzo and Nudge grabbed the little man by the shoulders and yanked him off of the barrel he had been standing on, while the others rushed behind the counter, grabbing hold of crates chock-full of bombs and perhaps even money. Feeling bored, Tetra let her simmering anger ease by drifting to a consecutive corner where the counter met the wall to her right. There she leaned, shoulders slumped, supervising her crew as the robbery ensued. With additional help from Senza, Gonzo and Nudge soon had Cannon wrapped from chin to toe in layer upon layer of rope, a piece of tape slapped onto his mouth, to be hauled to the front of the room, where they positioned the little man standing and wiggling like some sort of deformed moth cocoon, a piece of his odd puffy hair sliced off in the confusion of the pilfering. At length Tetra succumbed once again to her tides of thought as her crew reorganized, Gonzo and Mako gloating over their victory to a grunting Cannon while the others aligned at the opposite wall, awaiting further orders, Senza and Nudge each with a huge crate of bombs apiece.

Tetra looked up at length as Gonzo began laughing heavily at something Mako had said, looking to her for obvious advice, though for some reason his cheeks had turned slightly pink.

"Hey, Cap'n, are you listening to this dimwit here? Can't you dock his pay or something?"

Tetra frowned at him, then looked down again. "Quit fooling around, you two. There isn't time for that. If we've got all the bombs we need, we'd best set out for Outset this instant."

Gonzo blinked, looking obviously dismayed. Tetra turned her glare to him.

"What? Do you have a problem with that, Gonzo?"

"Oh! Uh, no, of course not! B-But miss…I mean, all I'm wanting to say's that we've been sailing for a long time, yeah? So the men were kind of looking forward to spending some time on shore and getting some grub maybe, yeah? Isn't that right, guys?" The large man turned to the others for support…and received an almost fearful silence.

Tetra regarded him with coldly, her anger bubbling up and mixing with equal quantities of anxiety and irritation. She raised her head higher. "Didn't you see Greatfish? That mindless destruction? We've got to hurry, before the same thing happens to Outset, too! We've wasted enough time fooling around here already."

Mako came forward then, the little fellow stopping cautiously a few feet away from Tetra. His red book clasped in one sallow hand, he tapped the rim of his large glasses with the other, peering at her closely.

"Uh…pardon me if I'm being rude, Captain, but it sounds like you're more concerned about the island than the treasure."

Tetra looked at him sharply. "What…what are you talking about? Don't be ridiculous. Of course I want…the treasure…" Her voice lowered to almost a mutter, and she lowered her head again, nearly biting her lip. Were her emotions really so obvious to her crew? Even if such a fact had been mentioned by the brains of the ship…still…

She felt it then, a prickling on the back of her neck. Almost instinctively she looked up - in time to see a pair of wide dark eyes gaze back at her briefly. However, they disappeared as the blond head with its green hat quickly inched backwards, attempting to duck out of view.

The first thing that crossed Tetra's mind was pure irritation…which immediately melted into an intense relief that slightly startled her. Well, that Quill had said that Link was alive, but even so…heh. Then again, she found that she wasn't too astonished at his presence here. The guy had always been full of surprises.

Tetra swung her head down again, though a slight grin now tugged at her features. It persisted even as she strode forward, shaking her head, arms spread outwards.

"Oh, well, if you crybabies insist, I suppose a night at the bar is all that will be able to silence you dolts." She strode to the door, then paused, being sure to raise her voice a little louder. "Just remember, we set off for Outset at the moment of dawn, you louts! Not a minute later, you hear? Now get those bombs to the ship, and then we'll book some rooms for the night, I suppose…"

She exited, in time to hear a small, half-hearted cheer from her crew, as well as the musings of Gonzo and Mako as the two went on to conversing about the ship's password…Tetra's grin widened even more, even as she stepped into the torrent of rain that greeted her outside. All the better for Link…

* * *

The peals of rowdy laughter drifted from the tables behind Tetra as she came forward, pulling herself up on a bench beside the counter of the café they would be staying in for the night. Digging in her pockets for a few rupees, she eyed the woman on the other side, the awiter's eyes lifted above Tetra's head. The blonde was gazing in obvious irritation at the partying pirates further back, rubbing a plate vigorously with a wad of white cloth.

Tetra decided to break the bartender's concentration on her crew - it wouldn't help if they ended up with a bounty on their heads or a jail sentence. "Excuse me, but I'll take a coffee if you don't mind, thanks."

Gillian, momentarily distracted as Tetra had hoped, now eyed the young captain instead, eyebrow arched, even as she grabbed a mug from a nearby shelf. "…Little young to be wandering around at night, aren't you? Shouldn't you be at home in bed, young woman?"

Tetra gave her a frowning look as she dug up a yellow Rupee and slapped it down on the counter. "Probably, but I happen to be the captain of those fools back there." She tilted her head in the general direction of the voices that were steadily rising. "We're a pirate crew, see."

"Ah." Though her expression remained sternly skeptical, Gillian scooped up the Rupee all the same and set the steaming mug on the counter as a replacement. "If you say so. Awful young to be a pirate, if you ask me."

"In-born thing," Tetra replied bluntly, taking up the mug in her hands and fingering the curved handle. Her thoughts drifted back to Link, and an idea came to mind, one that was almost interrupted by the woman's voice once again.

"If you're really pirates, then what are you searching for on the high seas nowadays?"

Tetra raised her eyes, meeting those of Gillian. Gaze never wavering, she replied in a low voice, her tones absolutely serious.

"…A great treasure, situated on the very floor of this vast ocean. A treasure of untold value, spoken in the most ancient of legends." She paused. "And it's also none of your business. So if you excuse me, I think I'll be drinking this in peace." Without another word she slipped off of the bench, not spilling a drop of the coffee, and strode away to the far corner of the café, leaving Gillian to gaze after her critically. With a shrug, the bartender returned to the plate she had been polishing and the pirates she had been eyeing, while Tetra took a seat at a table in the farthest, darkest corner of the room. Turning away momentarily from the ruckus ensuing behind her, she dug a hand into her pocket once again…and pulled out her Speaking Stone. The hunk of rock glinted eerily in the torchlight, eliciting the illusion of green flames flickering endlessly within.

Flames that could show her whatever she willed.

Tetra bent her concentration on the stone, thinking about the one thing she most wanted to see. All too soon the flames within grew brighter, stronger - until they finally melted into an image. The image of Niko.

Tetra frowned as she listened to the lower pirate's voice, spoken in a furtive mutter. Even so, it was heard only in her head.

_"…Eh, okay, here's what I'll do, swabbie! Because you passed the test, I'll let you open that there chest, and you're free to take whatever's inside it! But uh…please don't tell anyone about this, all right? You got that?"_

Tetra watched as a series of images flickered, green-tinted, across the stone's surface. A treasure chest, situated at the end of the storage rooms, being opened by a pair of hands, to reveal a stock of blue bombs that gleamed in the torchlight. Her frown turned into a grimace, and Tetra spoke abruptly, entering her thoughts into the stone. Thoughts that melted into words.

_Heh, well, I see you've gotten a hold of our bombs, kid._ Tetra watched as the images in the stone flickered and jostled briefly - Link had jumped. Then the scene swirled, and Tetra soon found herself gazing at Link's face, framed by his untidy gold bangs, wide dark eyes surprised. A faint smile touched her features once more as she continued. _Consider yourself lucky that I left a little traitor like Niko to guard our ship's stocks…no other _real _pirate would give up our bombs that easy! I can guess why you want them, too…you're out after that treasure as well, aren't you? _Link's expression told her enough. _Well then, here's the deal. I let you go to Outset and try to get through to that fish-spirit or whatever, while me and my crew relax here and enjoy what this town has to offer. You've got until the break of dawn, though, and then we're off. And don't expect me to go so easy on you next time we meet!_

Tetra severed the connection then and there, abruptly, though the image of Link's face remained in her mind even as the flames in the Speaking Stone died back down to their subtle radiance once more. Link…that klutzy fool…but she still respected him despite everything. He had the looks of an unreliable individual, but stature could be deceiving - Tetra only had to look in a mirror to know that much. And who knew…Link might actually pull it off. He'd probably put that treasure to good use, too…he didn't seem the type who thirsted for wealth…

Tetra sighed, forcing her tense shoulders to relax. She gingerly took a sip of the coffee, savoring the warmth that flowed through her, banishing the last of the downpour's chill from her skin. Might as well relax and enjoy the break…and then…

"We'll be off again," Tetra murmured softly, the image of her mother's portrait briefly flashing across her eyes. "And we'll find that treasure…the greatest treasure of all the sea…the one that you always talked about…"

The lost land of Hyrule, buried by the waves, its bygone tale spared only by the breath of the winds…

* * *

A/N: Well, there you go. Hope you enjoyed that. I'm vaguely considering expanding on this from a one-shot to an actual story from Tetra's perspective…if I ever get over this nasal curse that mankind has dubbed the flu…but reviews are appreciated! If you think this is something I can continue, please let me know! :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, what do you know. I'm actually updating something. Life must be turning up, finally. XD

Anyways, beside that, I have indeed decided to expand this fic from a oneshot to an actual story, with many thanks to my two faithful reviewers, Carriedreamer and Kyra Fawxe. Believe me, your names shalt be revered and looked up to. ;)

All that aside, let us continue with the story. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Um…well…I guess it isn't exactly mine…ah, shucks…

* * *

_It was another dream. She knew it was, the moment she set eyes on the smooth expanse of dark, shifting sea that stretched out before her, limitless, without end, forever untamed. The navy crystalline folds and the occasional pearly froth of the rare wave that spawned from its ripples glistened and danced with the light of the stars above, shrouded in silver cloud carried hither by the cool wind, while the crescent moon peeked through, shy and mysterious._

_She was floating, suspended in the sky, nothing more than a fragment of wind herself, a breath of lilting air - and she embraced the feeling with delight, with joy. Eager, she pushed forward, into the currents of wind, folds that wrapped about her like a cool blanket and carried her, soaring smoothly, across the surface of the endless sea, shining with stars. Soon dark, jagged shapes and towering peaks loomed over the horizon and faded behind just as easily, lost in the timeless speed and whisper of the wind that carried her. She could taste the purpose now, in the air - she could see the glistening chains of shimmering diamond beads in the heavens that bent forward, focusing their distant gazes on her, as though to tell her something - the very sea roared and sighed, rose and fell, breathing, anxious, waiting. _

_Something was about to happen. _

_At length the wind gathered tighter around her, and she was ascending once again, higher and higher, until she was almost among the clouds and stars themselves, with the sea spread out before her like a vast midnight chart, just waiting to be written upon. From here she thought she could see a slightly darker speck amid the shifting blue below, shaped almost like a triangle, though from such a height it was hard to tell. And all the while the sense of anticipation was growing steadily stronger, almost leaving her breathless. The wind whispered furtively, curling cool fingers around her shoulders, holding her tightly. And then a warm blue light was washing over her, and she turned. _

_Floating beside her, warm and serene and smiling, was another girl. A girl with the same stature of herself, seemingly made of glass, delicate folds of transparent porcelain that emanated waves and waves of soft blue light. She felt her mind clear, as clouds of a storm part to reveal sunlight - her thoughts were suddenly sharp, clarified, basking in the warm glow of the one beside her, celebrating this moment of pure freedom. And this girl of glass turned to gaze at her with bright, glowing eyes, and she saw that this individual wore a flowing dress and an intricate crown amid the thick folds of her long, crystal-blue hair. Instead of ears, this girl instead bore fins, which poked out delicately on each side of her head, seeming to tremble in the slightest breeze._

_The girl came beside her, the wind whispering in delight as she placed a cool hand in her own. And then the strange person looked down, to the sea below, and she followed suit, eyes falling on the small dot, the little triangular island so far away._

_There was a bright flash. _

_Her eyes widened as a streak of pure green light shot from another point in the vast expanse of ocean, too shrouded in shadow to be seen, striking the little island visible below with a blinding explosion that made the wind shiver, the air ripple. Even as they watched, she found her eyes focusing on another point of light, this one bright orange, rising from the island that had been struck, blossoming up through the onslaught of the green one. And this same orange light suddenly intensified and then streaked off, forming a bright line of its own that skimmed the waves, stopping short at another isle close to the horizon._

_A warm flower of blue light, an exact replica of the ethereal glow beside her, appeared. And this blue light also flew on, to the distant source of the green light that burned still. And the three lights merged, forming a massive shape. A triangle. Within which three more triangles formed, golden ones that shimmered and glowed beneath the surface of the ocean itself. _

_Another trembling shiver permeated the air. The three triangles glowed brighter, and she felt of rush of recognition for what they truly were, though she could hardly believe it. Could it really be…that…?_

_"Your thoughts pin the truth." As though hearing her thoughts, the girl beside her spoke, her voice soft and echoing strangely through the air. The voice could have resonated in the mind for all the difference it made. _

_She turned to her ethereal companion, puzzled, but her attention was once more diverted to the Great Sea as another anomaly occurred. She watched, fascinated, as the three triangles suddenly flashed with an intensity that cut the air, gold light momentarily blinding any who looked at it. However, just as swiftly, the light receded, and she looked on as the triangles, bound together, began to shrink in size, spinning swiftly. In moments they had completely vanished, melting into the center of the larger triangle comprised of orange, blue, and green. And out of this epicenter, something began to emerge, something quite physical, tossing silver froth and water to the skies as it thrust up through the ocean surface, slow and unstoppable. At length it finally ceased its upward rising, a lone finger of shadow in the middle of the endless ocean waves. And in the moonlight that thrust its silver fingers through the shifting air, she finally realized what it was. A great tower comprised of stone, stone bleached white from hundreds of years of weather and water. Great dark circles dotted its surface, and a small something clad in green struck its side with a visible splat. Surprised, she watched as the emerald speck slowly peeled itself from the white stone and then began to fall, back down to the sea - to be relieved of the water by a sharp splinter of red that bobbed amid the blue, cruising to his side._

_Her eyes widened in sudden recognition, even as the speck of bright red, most likely a boat, cruised forward once more, towards the yawning entrance of the tower. _

_"Wait. Is that…Link?!"_

_She turned to the glass girl, utterly shocked as she gave a nod of assent. "But…but how? I thought he had gone to get that - that treasure, on Outset."_

_"Oh, but he did, my child." The girl turned to her, glowing eyes warm with amusement. "He spoke with the ever-faithful fish spirit, whom the common tongue dub Jabun, and showed himself worthy. He obtained this treasure of which you speak. And he has put it to its predestined use."_

_She simply blinked at her, unable to comprehend. "I - I don't understand. But…who are you?"_

_The girl finally released her hand, falling backwards a little. Her eyes still laughed, but they were also sad now, as was the smile that graced her transparent features._

_"…You already know me. You have known me since the moment of your birth. You know me as well as we know you, Princess Zelda."_

_The name struck her like a hammer's blow. She simply stared, rigid with shock._

_"Princess…? I'm no princess! I'm a pirate! And - and I always will be! Nothing will ever change that!" She glared at this girl haughtily, this person who spoke with such a gentle voice, who could make her mind feel so clear. This person…how could she, of all people, know of the childhood stories her mother had told her at night, tales of a valiant woman with unlimited wisdom and kindness, who had attempted to stand up to a great evil at her country's darkest hour? _

_The glass girl was watching her, a weary aura of thoughtfulness surrounding her. "…There is much to come that you will not understand, my child," she finally said at length. Her voice was more gentle than ever. "You have experienced much pain and hardship, and there shall be more to come. But your fate, I fear, is clouded in my eyes. I cannot see it." She regarded her solemnly. "A great evil is rising. And it shall be unchained. I see that much. Released, by the innocent ignorance of the one you care for."_

_"The one I - Link?! No! He would never do that!" She found herself trembling._

_"It will not be intentional. But the result could be disastrous all the same. And you will be caught in the middle, I fear."_

_"…Why? Why are you telling me this? How do you even expect me to believe a word you're saying?!"_

_"But you do."_

_Silence. At length, however, the girl lifted her head. "My sisters are calling," she said softly. "I must depart soon. It is required that I be present for the trials of the Hero-to-be." The girl then leveled her gaze at her, countenance now serious. "Remember this scene well, my child. It shall play a vital part in the future of yourself, and this…Link. Pray for him." _

_The girl's light seemed to be waning now. She could not tell, but it seemed her outline was growing thinner, fainter. Yet her voice still rang, clear, confiding._

_"Remember this as well, however. Your mother's passing was not in vain."_

_Pain lanced through her, sharp and stinging, a wound opened anew._

_"How -?"_

_"I have not the time." Now even the girl's voice was growing fainter. "My sisters call, and I must answer. So hear me now. Your mother was a great woman, and she has taught you well. Hold her gifts close, my child. Guard them jealously. And if they should be sought by the evil - if they should be within his grasp - remember. Remember the sea. Remember the sky. Remember the call of the uncharted lands beyond. And your memories will be safe from prying eyes."_

_The girl's voice was a bygone shadow now, a whisper that could have been mistaken for the wind. She could only listen, numb, as the girl finally faded into the air, into the silver cloud and glowing stars beyond. As she spoke her last words._

_"Have faith, my child. Do not be afraid. For you…you are Princess Zelda."_

* * *

Tetra opened her eyes as she floated slowly back to the surface of consciousness. Unlike how she had last woken up, inside a storm-ridden ship with the memory of a decimated island still fresh in her head, she felt utterly serene…though she couldn't help but blink as the burning heat next to her throat finally came up to the surface with her.

Instantly her hand flew to the red kerchief around her neck, a precious garment she wore even to bed for good reason. Her thoughts sidled from the ruff of ragged scarlet cloth to the ornament she wore beneath it as swiftly as her darting fingers, and at length she was able to take a firm hold of the triangular thing. The heat it was exerting pulsed warmly against her fingers, almost welcomingly.

Confused and alarmed in equal proportions, Tetra scrambled out of the bed she had been sleeping in and stumbled, half blind, across the scarred floorboards of the inn room she had taken residence of, at length managing to fumble her way to the latch that held the balcony door shut. Using her opposite hand, she undid the dastardly thing and pushed her way through, straining for the brighter moonlight that glowed through the door's wooden shutters.

Cool silver light bathed her as the captain stepped onto the small platform that thrust out in resistance from the building it graced, reaching out to the calm navy ocean that muttered in harmony with the wind beyond. Glad of the better light, Tetra tightened her grasp on the object against her throat and, with minor difficulty, managed to free it from the veil of the kerchief. Eyes wide, she stared at it where it sat in the palm of her hand, inches beneath her chin.

It was a triangle, no larger in mass than the width and length of the hand it sat in, tied in the tight, secure loops of the cord that allowed it to dangle from her neck, rather like a sort of makeshift pendant. The triangle, at first glance, looked as though it were made from solid gold, though its light weight told another mysterious story. This same air of unusualness lingered around the strange lights that danced on its yellow surface, as well as the strange warmth that seemed to permeate the air around it. However, Tetra had never felt it so hot, had never seen it glow so bright.

But even now, the heat seemed to already be fading as the bright golden glow began to diminish. Within a minute the triangle was perfectly normal again - as normal as such a strange object could be, at any rate.

With a small sigh, Tetra slowly closed her sun-browned fingers around it, squeezing its dull edges with a fierce sort of protective relief, and then tucked it back behind her kerchief, where it rested against her throat once more, completely hidden from sight, from greedy prying eyes.

"Well, now that's over…" Her low mutter trailed off as her eyes lifted to the scudding ocean that glowered before her, thoroughly dwarfing the small island she stood upon. Sure, Windfall was a relatively busy and large place by human standards, but that mattered nothing to the sea. Anyone could see that. No, all it would take was one wave, just large enough…and this whole place would be gone. Nothing but a memory, perhaps fortunate enough to be carried by the whispers of the wind, but nothing more.

Tetra fiddled with the edge of the kerchief, raising her eyes to the sky instead. The thick storm they had to struggled through to get here seemed to have cleared completely - nothing remained of it now but a few ragged shards of cloud in the sky, and a shy crescent moon now beamed down in its wake, smiling amid its blanket of bright stars. Tetra supposed that she ought to have been tired, having awakened around midnight, but she felt nothing of the sort…oddly exhilarated, in fact.

All the same she closed her eyes, savoring the wind as it happened to trail in her direction, ruffling the curling strands of yellow hair that constantly fell over her pointed ears. The wind…all at once, the dream came back to her, and a small frown tugged at the edges of her lips.

This was the second vivid dream she had encountered in two days, and that made her profoundly uneasy - an emotion that Tetra was not used to feeling, and did not enjoy in the least. First that terrifying man, on the verge of murdering Link, and then that white tower, and the girl, the blue glass girl, who had spoken to her as though she were some long-time companion from childhood…who had known about her mother…

Tetra winced - it still hurt, even now, after three years, thinking about her mother like that. Captain Dazel, that tall woman with her streaming yellow hair and her fearsome sky-blue gaze, clad in ragged navy-blue and white, one hand on her hip as she propped one foot against the prow of the ship, her other hand hanging easily at her side, ready to grasp the hilt of the blade strapped to the back of her belt at the slightest indication. A first impression of such a woman indicated a cold heart, a calculating mind, a ruthless fighter. And yet she had been so much more than that - a person with a warm soul, with a respect for the sea and a love and fascination of ancient lore, who could tell the most fantastic of stories, who loved her daughter and her crew more than anything else in the whole of the Great Sea.

Captain Dazel had been more than just Tetra's mother - she had been her idol, her guide, the perfect example of the ideal pirate.

And now…she was gone.

Tetra lowered her head for a moment, the girl's voice resounding in her head. Great gifts…had she only meant this golden triangle pendant, that her mother had entrusted to her on her ninth birthday, instructing her to guard it with her life as a family heirloom? Or had that girl meant something more, something deeper?

Weariness finally began to tug at the edges of her eyelids, yet Tetra did not want to succumb. She had had enough of dreams for one night. For many nights, at that.

Crossing her arms, she simply stood there, bare feet on the cool planks of the makeshift balcony, the balmy air slowly soothing away the tension in her shoulders. At length, looking around, she found a nearby chair beside the railing and promptly sat down, leaning back, eyes never leaving the navy expanse before her as she slowly drifted in and out of sleep, thoughts tracing lazy circles in her head.

By the time she finally rose from her spot, the warm disk of the sun had emerged from the horizon she faced, throwing misty pink and silver-blue over the scattered stars and tinting the distant clouds a creamy gold.

* * *

"Come _on_, you lazy louts! We haven't all day here! I said we'd leave first thing in the morning, and I _meant_ first thing in the morning! So get up, this instant! I'm not going to be waiting!"

So Tetra continued on her salty rant as she went from door to door, pounding her fist on the ones she knew were inhabited by laid-over pirates who had become a little too fond of beer the previous night. Scowling, she stormed to the end of the hall, next to the banister of stairs that led to the café below, and stood there, tapping a foot impatiently, expression murderous as she listened to the moans and groans of her men, which resonated through the doors. She was a young, confused girl half-sleeping on the balcony no more - now she was once more a pirate, a captain, and she was not about to wait an entire hour for her crew to rise.

Tetra had only allowed them to sleep at the café out of reason more than pity. By the time the crew had finally grown weary of the small party they had partaken in, none of them had been in any condition to get to the counter of the bartender by themselves, let alone the ship awaiting them outside. Even Mako had sampled the ale the shop had to offer - and that little bit, combined with his rather large brain, had been enough. The only two of the crew that weren't belied in a severe hangover were Niko, who had spent the night in the ship 'guarding' the bomb supply, and Zuko, who was the first to emerge from one of the many rooms. His large eyes caught the aura of furious malevolence of their captain, which was enough to figure her mood, and he shuffled forward with a small grunt and a quick nod in her direction before nearly dashing down the stairs and breezing out the door, making a beeline for their awaiting ship. Miss Tetra was not to be meddled with when she was angry, oh no.

Gillian, who had been up since midnight grumpily cleaning up after the previous night's ruckus, looked up from the plate she had been polishing and watched in satisfaction as the small man with the striped blue and white shirt and the large eyes took his hasty leave.

One of her constant customers, a sailor by the name of Candy, also had the fortune of catching the strange spectacle over a mug of coffee. Watching Zuko pull the door shut behind him, the large man then glanced up at the ceiling, connecting the occasion with the angry female shouts that had resounded, strangely childish but almost dauntingly ferocious, a few minutes before. He usually spent his days reading the winds on the docks of Windfall, near Bomb-Master Cannon's shop, though he would occasionally drift into Gillian's for a mug of warm liquid and the periodic odd happening that seemed to always take place in a café. And today he had not been disappointed.

Hearing the groans of the men above floor and shaking his head in sympathy for those poor sailors, he took a sip from his cup. "Awfully active morning you've got on your hands today, Gillian," he commented idly.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe." Returning to her plate, Gillian slowly shook her head. "You shoulda seen those pirates last night, I swear. Half the place a wreck of spilled rum, I say. I don't know _what_ father might have possibly done about it…"

"Pirates, eh?" Candy raised an eyebrow. "Don't get many o' them round here, not since the downfall of those no-good scoundrels them few years back. Pity, really. The ones that weren't bent on plundering were always plenty interesting to talk to over a bottle of brandy." He glanced up again. "What crew d'you think these are?"

"I couldn't care less," Gillian replied scathingly, turning her attention to a wooden spoon instead. "Nothing but trouble, the whole lot of them. But you know that woman, up there, doing all the shouting?"

"What about it?"

"Naught but a little girl, she is. Couldn't have been older than around twelve or so. Yet she claims to be captain of that miserable crew! I mean, honestly! Children these days, roaming the Great Sea and more thirsty for adventure than a pack of bloodhounds. And just the other day, I had to shoo off another little one. Clad in green, he was, wearing a sword and everything like a right little miniature warrior. En't one for talkin', but at least he had the sense to leave when told…"

Candy, who hadn't been listening to half of Gillian's little rant, merely blinked slowly, more surprised than anything. "A little girl, you say? One couldn't possibly imagine." A tint of admiration edged in his voice - a seasoned sailor knew a capable captain when he heard the voice of one. "Doesn't sound like a wee lass to me. Sounds like a right little she-devil about to rip out some throats."

"Pirates for you, then." Rather huffy at Candy's obvious ignorance, Gillian fell silent.

After what must have been a quarter of an hour, there was finally a series of moans and footsteps as the rest of the pirate crew slowly descended. Tetra came into view first, dark eyes flashing threateningly, and she stood at the landing with her arms folded and her head tilted in her 'dangerously aggressive' pose, casting a death glare on each man that trailed down after her. Grumbling and swaying on their feet, the crew slowly trooped out across the room below and stepped through the door, staggering off into the pink-tinted morning sunlight as they departed.

After the last one had gone, Tetra then stepped up to the counter, arms still folded, fixing a stern eye on Gillian herself.

"What is it now?" Testy, Gillian leaned over the flat wooden surface and returned Tetra's glare with one of her own.

"I'd like to compensate for those idiots and the damage they might have caused." Deftly digging into a pocket, she dumped four red rupees on the countertop and regarded the much taller woman with the utmost seriousness. "I'm not about to take any chances. We've enough problems as it is without a bounty on my head to add to the trouble. So I pay you this for your silence…and couple it with an apology. I'll deal with those fools myself once we're well under sail, of that pleases you."

Blinking, Gillian slowly scooped up the payment, looking profoundly surprised.

"I - well now." She frowned at the small girl. "But - but I thought you were pirates. Pirates don't pay debts."

Tetra shrugged off the conjecture, turning away. "I wouldn't think too hard about it if I were you. We've got pay to spare. But that should keep you happy." She started off towards the door and then, catching sight of a staring Candy, nodded at the sailor calmly. "Morning to you. Wind favoring your sails?"

"…Aye, that they be. Yours?"

"Every stitch stretched at its fullest. Thanks for wondering." Tetra flashed him a small smile, and her face changed completely - from a stormy epicenter of quiet fury to a playful, feisty, devilish guise, full of intelligence and youth.

Then she was gone, stepping through the door and pulling it shut behind her.

Candy let out his breath slowly, half a sigh of wonder and half an attempt at cooling his tongue. That smile had caused him to partially choke on his cup of coffee, and for good reason.

He turned to the bartender, who was examining one of the scarlet rupees as though attempting to detect a fake.

"Gillian - do you know who that was?"

"Hmm…huh? Oh, no. Enlighten me." Not profoundly interested but satisfied at her inspection, she slipped the rupees into a drawer and resumed her polishing.

Candy, not noticing the sarcasm in the woman's voice, continued to stare at the door through which Tetra had departed, eyes clouded with memory. "That girl - I swear by the Goddesses - she looks like some exact copy of another woman I saw, right here in Windfall, some three years back." He sat back, eyes unusually wide. "'Twas a beauty, that woman, bright yellow hair and blue clothes, and a red kerchief round her neck like that one that girl was wearing a few moments past. Her eyes were like the ocean, the sky. She was walking the streets, one hand on the hilt of that large blade she had, hung against her lower back, and I happened to be in town, an' she looked at me for the smallest of moments." Candy was silent, the memory holding him captivated even now. Gillian glanced up from the cup she was now working on.

"She looked at me," Candy muttered, as though lost in a dream. "She just glanced up, and then she _smiled._ Just like that little girl did, an exact replica. That caught me kind of outta the air, I must say - I'd never seen anythin' like her afore."

Gillian was smiling now, leaning over the counter, drinking in every word. She had always been fond of these kinds of tales, tales of forgotten first love. It was the gossip that seemed to always make work at the café worth doing. "I can only imagine," she muttered, expression quite changed. "So…what? What did you do?"

Candy turned to her, face blank. "…Well, I asked her what her name might be, and what business she might have on this here isle. Dazel, that was her name, Captain Dazel. I remember it like yesterday. An' I asked her then if she was a sailor, and she said she was a pirate. And then she walked away, round a corner, and was gone." His eyes unfocused, gazing into space once more. "Gone…and I never saw her again. Never even told me why she'd been round."

Candy paused, and then sighed, taking a long swig from his mug and setting it down on the table with a thump. "Barely paid me any attention, she did," he muttered glumly. "And yet that moment was imprinted in my head for the rest of my waking years, I say. 'Twas a beauty, that woman…but she was fierce too. Dangerous. You could see it in her eyes."

"…I see." Gillian frowned and pulled back, looking slightly disappointed. "Well, that's too bad."

"That it is." Candy shook his head. "Come to think of it though, I been wondering about that Captain Dazel for a while. I asked around sometime afterward, and folk said she was an odd pirate. Didn't like plunderin' in the least. No, they said that her crew roamed the seas mainly to look for some sort of treasure, buried under the waves. That, and searching for new lands as well." He turned his gaze back to the door. "Ye think that maybe that little girl is some sorta relation? …Huh, I think I'll go and ask."

And with that he stood up, left a handful of green rupees on the countertop, and departed through the door. Gillian, still frowning, watched him leave.

"…Well. It's not a wonder she took off as fast as she could. Not much of a lover, that sailor." Shrugging off the whim, she unfolded her rag and began vigorously scrubbing the counter itself, thoughts turning to other, more important things. Like her ill father, and her own secret love that she was still determined not to tell _anyone_ about.

* * *

Candy stood on the edge of the docks, gazing around blankly. For there was not a girl to be seen in the empty, still-sleeping port, much less a pirate ship. The sea spread out empty, and the wind muttered, forlorn.

He blinked, feeling disappointed, and then put a hand on his hip and turned his head in the wind's direction, thinking about the interesting isle that might lie in its path. Back to another day of gazing at the sea…

* * *

"O-Oh! Cap'n! I - I didn't see you there -"

"Shut up, you twit." Tetra scowled at Niko, and the little swabbie instantly quailed, taking a step back.

"Y-Yes'm. Course," he squeaked, once more despairing of his position at 'the bottom rung of the pirate ladder'.

Tetra surveyed him witheringly for a moment. She had been suspicious of his antics ever since that first day, when Link had come aboard her ship in request of travel to the Forsaken Fortress, where his sister had been held captive. He had spent time below decks, as Tetra had told him to, with no other company but Niko. Coming back up to the crow's nest when the cursed isle had finally been sighted, he had looked a tad uneasy when she had sarcastically inquired if he had been playing games of treasure with the lowly pirate. Now she felt her suspicions almost confirmed.

For a while she was silent, allowing Niko to squirm uncomfortably under her stern, coal-black gaze. The one thing she hadn't inherited from her mother, as the small pirate glumly reflected. He had only known Captain Dazel for a short time before the great storm that had swept her away, but she had been an impressive woman despite. Tetra could have been an exact replica of Dazel but for her eyes, which were darker than the sky on a moonless night. Somehow this quality made their young captain all the more intimidating.

It was midday, and they were below decks, the musty scent of the crates stacked below on their right floating heavy in the air. Niko was used to it - he always did most of his grunt work around it - and so, coupled with the steady rhythmic rocking of the ship, the situation was relatively normal. On deck the sun would probably be out and shining brightly in a pristine sky, quite unlike the previous day, when a storm that seemed to have raged for an eternity had bobbed and rocked all vassals afloat like splinters in a river. However, something about the way the captain was looking at him made him profoundly uneasy.

Niko squirmed in his boots a seconds time, trying to avert his gaze from her face, which was level with his own.

"…I suppose you know what I'm doing down here today, my little friend."

Niko felt a protest rise in him. He was hardly an inch smaller than she, besides! But he didn't dare voice that aloud.

"Ah…t-to check on the bomb supply, maybe?"

Tetra narrowed her eyes. "Wrong. But you seem to have the basic idea."

Now Niko looked positively alarmed. Eyes wide, the little man's resolution finally broke, and he threw both arms into the air, taking another step back, looking rather ridiculous with his large protruding front teeth adding to his facial expression.

"Oh Cap'n, I - I didn't mean to do it, I swear it! T-The kid was pressuring me, see! I had no choice! I mean, what could I have done to stop him? He had a sword and everything! I wouldn't have stood a chance if I'd said no - the guy would've cut me to quivering shreds!! H-He even passed both tests apiece in a few minutes -"

"Tests? …You don't mean what I think you meant, do you?" Tetra raised an eyebrow as Niko gulped, looking horrified at his slip.

"Oh! Um - well -"

Tetra folded her arms, a smile slipping onto her features. "Let me get this straight…" She cocked her head to one side, smile widening. "You…had Link…take the two tests required for a sailor to be graduated to a pirate?"

"…Uh…"

Tetra simply stared at him for a moment, expression incredulous. Niko cringed and braced himself, waiting for the punishment that was inevitably coming.

"…How did he do?"

Niko blinked, surprised. He almost couldn't believe his ears. "What?"

Tetra's eyes narrowed again, but the smile was still on her face, and the dangerous edge in her voice had vanished completely.

"You heard me, Niko. How did he do with the test? Did he pass?"

"Pass? You kidding me?" Niko slowly, cautiously began to relax a little, allowing a small, proud grin to pass over his expression. "He completely wrecked both tests. He did in five minutes what took me two years to do!"

"And he did this…twice?"

"Aye, got that right, he did."

"I see…must admit, it sounds pretty impressive…"

"Oh, you shoulda seen him at it, Cap'n! Swinging round them torches like it was nothing at all! Like a fish swims in the water! Say, you think maybe my skill rubbed off on 'im?"

Tetra blinked, gaze hardening briefly. Niko recoiled again at his slip of tongue.

"…Don't go too far. You're still not much more than the bottom swabbie, you know." Tetra scowled at him, but the expression was brief, and to Niko's relief she let the issue pass. "But anyhow…finishing both tests so quickly is quite the achievement, I must admit. What did you give him the first time?"

"Huh?" Alarmed once more, Niko fiddled with the skull buckle on his belt uneasily. "N-Nothing much, I thought…just that extra Spoils Bag we had in storage for emergencies…"

"Hmph. Not much of a loss, I guess." Tetra waved it off, and the tension in Niko's shoulders eased somewhat. "And I'm supposing that the second time you gave him a share of our bombs, correct?"

"Uh…y-yes'm…"

"Well…I see." Tetra looked at him for a long moment, but somehow Niko got the impression that she was looking through him, through the whole ship, through the real world. Looking at something else entirely, something that he himself probably couldn't fathom. The minds of captains were complex, besides. At length, however, Tetra spoke again. "So I see you two must have some sort of friendship now, eh?"

"Oh, you bet, Cap'n." Niko smiled sheepishly, not sure how she might take his words. "I gotta admit, I was pulled under the abyss in terms of mood when I was told by Gonzo that we'd lost the swabbie to sea that while back. Right took a hunk outta me, it did. You couldn't imagine my surprise when he came slipping back into the ship, at the oddest of times! Couldn't believe me eyes at first, thought he was some sort of ghost come back from the dead, y'know. But now…" Niko's voice trailed off thoughtfully for a moment. "Now…I shouldn't have been all that shocked, really. A swabbie like that Link can make things happen around him, you know? He seems the kind of person that's capable of all kinds of weird stuff. But I'm just glad he's alright, if you'd pardon me saying so, Cap'n."

"…I was too, Niko. I was too." Tetra was now frowning slightly - her expressions always seemed to have a habit of changing drastically when she was deep in thought. She looked up at him, eyes ponderous. "Now look here, you. I'm going to let you off for today, you hear? No dock in pay or anything. So quite looking like a half-beaten minnow, will you?" Niko, hearing this, immediately straightened his back. Anything for his captain's mercy. "I let you off on one condition, though…" Tetra added, lowering her voice confidentially. Niko gulped as she leaned forward slightly.

"W-What would that be, Cap'n?"

"…You keep this a secret, all right?"

"Secret?"

"Yes, a secret, you dolt." A withering look returned to her troubled features. "Basically, I don't want you breathing a word of this to anyone else in the crew, you hear? Not a breath. Link never came to this ship a second time. Our bomb stock is complete and not a single portion missing. _Understand_?"

"Uh…well…y-yeah! Course I do!"

"I'm counting on you, Niko." Tetra's eyes narrowed further. "If I catch a single hint of rumor from you, you'll be regretting it."

"Yes, Cap'n! D-Don't you worry! I shan't say a thing! My lips are sealed!" A perplexed look momentarily crossed Niko's face, and he pensively poked his protruding front teeth with one finger. "Well…as sealed as I can make 'em, anyways…"

"Good." Tetra's face brightened suddenly, and she flashed him a small smile. "Then you're dismissed. Get on with stacking the crates, why don't you? Oh, and you'll find a fresh pile of washing beside the main mast on deck when you're done. I want those shirts spotless, you hear? Especially the underwear."

Niko, who had been struggling his way down the ladder to the crates below, groaned in dismay as Tetra's steps padded away. He absolutely hated doing the washing, especially the underwear…as he had informed Link a while back…how convenient it would have been, to have that apprentice swabbie here now to help him with all these tedious chores…

His disgruntled thoughts were momentarily broken by Gonzo's deep bellow, coming from somewhere around the prow of the ship.

"Land ho! Outset's been sighted, Miss! Should we make headway, or would you rather tack around the perimeter and get at that cave, yeah?"

Tetra's crisp response, not quite as resonant as Gonzo's voice, all the same drifted down from above. "Not so loud, you idiot, or everyone in the Great Sea will know we're here! …Make headway. I'd like to have a word with the folk there, and we could use some restocking with the food supplies. Just behave, all right, you louts?"

"Aye aye, Cap'n!"

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have it, folks. Not very eventful, but hopefully things will start getting interesting soon.

Just throwing in some side notes to clarify some things - firstly, in case you haven't already guessed, the 'glass girl' in Tetra's dream is indeed the goddess Nayru, in the same form as her statue on one of the Triangle Islands after you've unlocked the Tower of the Gods. I understand that this probably isn't her true form, though I would think that she would appear to Tetra as a child so as not to intimidate or make any immediate impressions. We may be seeing more of Nayru later on so…just letting all of you know now…

On a second note, the sailor Candy is actually a real dude you can find in the Windwaker, for those of you that might be interested. He's almost always on that little dock beside Cannon's shop during the day, a mug in one hand, and of you talk to him he'll tell you the direction of the wind and any interesting island in that direction. Pretty minor character, but I kind of just grabbed him up to use as a prop in introducing Tetra's mother.

On that subject, Captain Dazel is simply a figment of my overly-colorful imagination. I have no idea who Tetra's real mother might be, or the cause of her death, so just bear with me there. If you still have any questions, it'll be easy enough to let me know.

All that stuff said, I will now stop rambling. And as is obvious, reviews are quite welcome. :D


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: -Le gasp- What's this?! An update?! Well I'll be!

Huh…not much else to say. The motivation bucket has been refilled, an I'm on a roll, no stoppin' now. Let's see how long this'll last…

Disclaimer: Ain't mine. And no, this disclaimer was _not _copy-and-pastied. It's completely original, I swear! …Erm…okay, maybe not…

* * *

"Ah…Grandma Fay? Grandma Fay, are you awake? Something's happening again and…I thought you might want to know…"

Sure-Belle spoke cautiously and softly, the way she always did, as she stepped cautiously through the front door of an elderly woman's household. Making painstakingly sure that the door did not creak upon closing, while at the same time balancing her favorite blue water jar on her head, she peered cautiously from the tiny entrance hall to the hearth where her adoptive grandmother usually lingered. The small, motherly old woman could often be found dozing by the fire in a comfortable wicker chair, or perhaps brewing some of her trademark soup when her constant weariness would abate somewhat. Now appeared to be one of those times as the said woman turned from her wooden table, greeting Sue-Belle with her large, warm smile.

"Oh, but of course you may come in, dear." Grandma Fay beckoned with a tiny finger. "Come, come, have some of my good soup. Here now, you just sit down and let me do the serving, dear, and put down that blessed jar for a brief moment, why don't you? You needn't carry it around all the time like that, you know. I'm sure your grandfather wouldn't mind in the least. Doesn't it get so tiring?"

All this was said as Grandma Fay then came forward, taking the slightly blushing girl by the arm and leading her to a chair before turning back to a large black pot and spooning out some broth in one of the few bowls to be found in the household.

Feeling rather flustered by such kindly and unnecessary treatment, Sue-Belle reluctantly set her jar on the table beside her and busied herself by instead twisting her blue braid anxiously between her fingers.

"Really, Grandma Fay, you needn't bother," she muttered, reddening. "I only intended to be here for a short time, to bring you water and news. Don't waste good food on me - you know I don't eat that much anyway -"

"Nonsense, child." Shaking her head, Grandma pushed the now-steaming bowl across the table and sat down comfortably in her wicker chair, regarding Sue-Belle warmly. "You really must eat more, you're so thin. But I thank you for the water, though I'm sure I've strength left to attend to myself. It's that daft grandfather of yours that you need to worry about, dear."

"Mm…yes, I know." Sue-Belle glanced at the awaiting soup and, deciding to be polite, she took up a spoon and dipped it delicately. Then she sighed. "I really shouldn't be such a bother to you, though, Grandma Fay. You deserve some rest, and peace and quiet -"

"Oh, do quite bothering yourself, dear." Settling more comfortably in her chair, the small old woman's smile only widened. "I rather enjoy your company, you know. It gets lonely in here, all alone in this house - it's refreshing to have a young soul in here. It reminds me of good times -" she paused, "- but that's beside the point. I believe you were going to tell me something, dear? Oh, and please, just Grandma will do, as I have told you before."

"Oh! Y-Yes, of course, Grandma Fa - I mean, Grandma." Feeling abashed, Sue-Belle hastily took another gulp of soup to cool her nerves somewhat. Overly shy, Grandpa Sturgeon always liked to say about her. Probably very true. But then, Grandpa Sturgeon knew practically everything, so that wasn't very surprising. Savoring the warm, invigorating warmth of the golden broth, she settled herself down, feeling indeed a tad calmer. "But yes, I was going to tell you something, wasn't I?"

"Indeed, dear. You said something was happening…again. It isn't another kidnapping, I hope?"

The question was lighthearted and joking, but Sue-Belle knew that Grandma was still secretly pained, even now. Once again she felt a rush of pity.

"Oh no, Grandma, nothing like that, I assure you. The children are quite safe." Sue-Bell leaned forward now, feeling the slightest rush of anxiety. "It's something else. Do you remember those pirates that came a month back, Grandma?"

Grandma's smile faded just a little. "I'll warrant I can, even with my memory as bad as it is these days. Those people forced Link to take our family shield with him, you know." She paused thoughtfully. "I can't say I hate them for it, of course. It's only common sense, really, isn't it dear? It only goes to show that they cared for Link's safety, doesn't it?"

"Well - I don't know. Yes, I suppose so, if you put it that way." This observation left Sue-Belle rather taken aback. "Pardon for arguing against you, Grandma, but I always thought pirates were just - well - pirates. But then, I never thought of it that way, I guess."

"I don't expect you to, dear." Warmth returning somewhat, Grandma reached forward and patted the girl's knee. "You have a life to live, and a daft grandfather to take care of. I, however, have had plenty of time to think of things. A little too much, if you ask me. But let's not dwell on such things." She sat back. "I really must quit interrupting you so, dear. Why don't you tell me what the news is already, before it gets old and withered as my wrinkly face, hm?"

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course." Sue-Belle paused, feeling as though she had just repeated something she'd said before. She shook her head, shaking the troublesome thoughts away. "What I was getting to, Grandma, is that I think those same pirates are coming this way again."

"Indeed?" Grandma's eyebrows had already risen significantly. She leaned forward slightly again. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, don't take my word for it. I haven't seen them yet myself. But Great-Uncle Orca says he has." Sue-Belle put down her spoon, placing the now-empty bowl to one side beside the water jar, and returned to fiddling with her braid. "You know how he's been climbing up and down the lookout tower ever since Link came back, watching for his return. I don't know why, myself. I asked him once, and he said something about an unfinished challenge - nothing I'd understand. But anyway, he went up this morning, and just a few minutes ago he came back down, saying he could see a white sail with red on its edges and a print of two crossed scimitars in the distance. He said he remembered that same design on that pirate ship."

There was a pause as Sue-Belle then looked at Grandma expectantly, and Grandma failed to look back, her wrinkled, beady eyes clouded in deep thought. At length, however, the little woman stirred.

"Is that so, dear?" Another pause. "Well then, I suppose all the townsfolk are getting ready to meet them. I only hope they don't plan to plunder our little village or anything. We haven't much for defense, you know. Unless you count Orca, I suppose." A brief smile flickered across her features. "But then again, I needn't feel so worried about that. It's more likely that they are probably Link's friends by now." Her smile widened even more. "Don't you think so, dear?"

Sue-Belle shifted uncomfortably - she still wasn't really sure. She'd heard plenty about some awfully nasty pirates back in Windfall, before they'd all been eradicated by one particularly nasty woman captain - who had been a pirate of sorts herself, by the rumors. That, of course, had been quite a few years back. Anything could have changed. Besides, she had caught a glimpse of this particular crew's captain herself - none other than a tanned, yellow-haired girl about as old as Link. Surely they couldn't be that bad.

Hm…perhaps that soup was finally getting to her…Grandma did have a knack for mind-changing broths…

With a sigh Sue-Belle stood up, mind wandering back to the present. Grandpa Sturgeon would be getting impatient, waiting for his midday shower water. With these thoughts now dominating all else, she quickly turned back to the table, scooping up her water jar in the same movement.

"I'm terribly sorry, Grandma Fay, but I really must get going. Grandpa Sturgeon will be waiting for me. Where would you have me put this water?"

Soon after a blue-haired girl could be found stepping out of the household, a considerably lighter water jar balanced easily on her head as she started back for a nearby well, while at the same time a small old woman could be found within that same cottage, rising from her chair and drifting to a small in-built lookout deck, which gave one a good view of the ocean beyond. There she old woman stood, leaning against a thick rail for support, gazing and gazing, looking particularly closely at a steadily growing brown speck on the horizon. A brown speck with white sails.

* * *

"Anchors aweigh!"

Gonzo's deep bellow resounded once more across the deck, making Tetra flinch at the prow. One, because that same bellow seemed to practically echo across the empty beach of Outset Island. And two, because that was the exact opposite term for laying anchor at a harbor. To anyone listening, it would sound as if they were _leaving, _not_ arriving. _Tetra almost felt like slapping her forehead, but she refrained with some difficulty.

"Idiot…"

Still grumbling, she reluctantly detached herself from the prow and instead drifted onto the deck with the rest of her crew, who were crowding eagerly at the rail. Gonzo was already shoving his way through the tiny crowd, the rope ladder coiled on one shoulder.

"Hey now, move it, yeah? Come on, nudge over! I've gotta get this to the edge for the Miss, yeah? So just move it, an' make way already. Can't you see she's gettin' impatient?"

"Gonzo!"

"Huh?"

Gonzo turned back to Tetra, who was indeed getting impatient. Very impatient. "I have some orders before you louts go clambering out of here," she said to the rest of them. Her crew immediately turned to face her, almost all of them looking nervous, Gonzo among them. "Now listen here, you lot," she continued. "I'm getting off. I need to have a word with the people here. But as to the rest of you, since I don't want to waste too much time here, I want this ship steered over to that cavern behind this isle. Bomb it down when you must. Make sure you get that treasure. When that's done, I want this ship back on harbor in an hour at most. Got that?"

"…Uh…aye aye, Cap'n!"

"Good." There was a pause as Tetra eyed them all maliciously. Then she turned to Gonzo, who stood stiffly at attention. "Well, what are you waiting for, you dolt?" she snapped. "Get that ladder ready, so that I can get off!"

"O-Oh! Yeah!"

After much pointless shouting and much scolding on Tetra's part, she finally found herself standing on the makeshift wooden dock on Outset, watching her ship with a stern eye until it had tacked out of site on the island's bend. That done, she then turned her attention to the island itself for the first time.

It was empty.

Tetra paused, looking around incredulously. Yet it was true. There was not a soul in sight. The waves sighed softly as they washed against the sandy shore, and the wind whispered cheerfully through the thick leaves of the scattered palm trees, but that was it. Complete silence enveloped the entire place.

Alarmed and cautious, Tetra walked forward, the crunch of sand greeting her as she stepped off the dock, looking around once more. The houses were still there, yes…that lookout dock was still there, too…but not a single human entity could be found.

The memory of Greatfish flashed briefly across her mind. Could Link have been too late? But no - the glass girl had told her that he was still perfectly all right, treasure in hand - and nothing else here seemed out of place. So why did no one seem to be here?

"Um…" Tetra paused again, totally unsure. She'd probably feel like an idiot, but it was worth a shot. She took a deep breath.

"HELLO?! IS ANYBODY HERE?! IF SO, AN ANSWER WOULD BE NICE!" She stopped, regaining her breath, then added hastily, "WE MEAN NO HARM!"

…Nothing.

Well that was just great. Here she was, stranded on this empty shore with nothing to do until her ship returned. Tetra groaned, feeling frustrated. Another dead end. That and…what would her men think of her? Not good, not good at all…

"You look troubled, dear. Is everything all right?"

Tetra could have jumped out of her skin - and nearly did, though being a pirate hardened you up against that sort of thing. Instead she whirled around frantically, searching for the source of the voice - and locating it on the porch of the nearest cottage, off to her right behind a line of small trees. Standing there, looking quite homely and undisturbed, was the smallest old woman she had ever seen. The lady was clad in a darned, featureless red dress complete with a purple sash wrapped around her waist. Her shortness could have partially been due to the stoop of her small shoulders - she seemed half leaning forward, bent with old age. She had white hair pulled back in a bun, and a wide, tanned face, complete with a wealth of wrinkles, twinkling eyes, and a wide smile.

Caught completely by surprise, Tetra could do nothing but gawk, until the lady beckoned with a tiny finger. "Come in, dear. You look like you could use some company. Would you like some food? I've still got some soup left, if that suits you."

Tetra blinked. "I - well -" At the moment she couldn't really see any other alternative. "Yeah. Sure."

* * *

Her first tentative sip of soup made Tetra's eyes widen. An explosion of warm, creamy flavor had erupted on her tongue, and as she slurped up another spoonful an invigorating strength coursed through her body, vibrating in her very bones. Suddenly she felt as though she would indeed find her mother's long-sought treasure, that she would indeed meet Link again, when all this was over. Frankly, she felt as though she could take on the whole world two times, and still be ready for a third assault.

_Heavens! _she thought incredulously. _If Link's been fed this every day since his birth, it's no wonder he's somehow managed to survive all this time! This soup must be the stuff of the goddesses…_

Grandma, as the old woman had simply introduced herself, sat back, watching Tetra knowingly.

"Is it good, dear? Would you like some more?"

Tetra looked down in surprise, realizing she had indeed practically cleaned the bowl without even realizing it.

"Uh…yeah. It's…well, I can't really describe it. But yes, I'd like some more. Please."

Huh, odd. She'd never been one for manners before. This lady already had an influence on her.

Then again, she wasn't really surprised. She had known this was Link's Grandma the moment she had first started exchanging words with the little woman. She could see a slight impression of Link in the way she acted, the way she spoke, even. She had that sort of unparalleled politeness that made you want to be courteous too, but she wasn't a stiff type of person. No, despite her age, this Grandma seemed full to the brim with life, life and a deep love for anyone that got close enough to her heart. Tetra could tell that, like Link, Grandma was the type of person that would go out of her way to make sure an ailing comrade got better, the kind to defend those she believed in on a whim. Like Link, she could easily tell the intentions of anyone you set before her.

A final similarity between the two, and the one that Tetra could see most clearly, was that, in Grandma's point of view, you either were her friend or you weren't. Though it seemed apparent that she preferred to think of everyone as a friend, except under extreme circumstances.

And so, naturally, she treated Tetra with due motherly friendliness, much more than Tetra might have expected for a stranger that had, besides, helped her only grandson set off to defeat unspeakable evil.

"Thank you," she mumbled as the said grandmother pushed a fresh bowl of broth her way.

"Not a problem, dear." Grandma settled back comfortably in that wide wicker chair. Then she regarded Tetra again, this time rather seriously. "So, lass…what brings you here again, on this insignificant little isle that people call Outset? Is there something you want of us? I do understand that you are captain of your pirate crew, right?"

"Mm…yes. But no, it's got nothing to do with taking anything." Tetra swallowed, remembering her purpose here. She carefully set down her spoon, feeling slightly sober despite the effects of the soup. "I'm…we…my crew…we're friends of Link's."

"I thought as much," Grandma agreed, nodding, a slight smile flitting across her face.

"Yeah. And I wanted to know - well - here, you see, we've been looking for him for a while now. We kind of lost track of him along the sea current…" Tetra made a point not to add any more details to this particular statement, as she was sure Grandma wouldn't take it too well. "Yeah, so we lost him - I mean, we lost _sight_ of him - for some time, and I've been kind of looking for him since. Seeing as this is his home, I wanted to check around and see if he's been here."

Wow, that was surprisingly difficult to get out. Fancy having to stretch the truth in front of this pious old woman.

Grandma herself did not seem to notice the tenseness in Tetra's shoulders, sitting back in her chair. "Ah, Link. Yes I saw him indeed. Just the other night, in fact. I can tell you that he was quite bright and chipper when I saw him, as I'm sure you're glad to hear." She paused, looking at Tetra in an odd way. "Hm…he's about the same age as you are yourself, isn't he dear?"

"Yeah…" Tetra wasn't paying much attention, being busy wondering how she ought to put her next question, and so she didn't notice as Grandma's smile widened significantly, as though in some secret joy for the future.

"Well, dear that's very good to hear. Are you two close friends?"

"Sure…" Tetra had pieced it together now. Quite ignoring the odd wording of Grandma's last question, she instead leaned forward in her chair, soup completely forgotten, her customary questing expression now on her features. "There was one other thing I'd wanted to ask, too. Particularly you. You seem to be the oldest one around here…"

"Oh, dear me…" Grandma chuckled. "I'm very much flattered, dear, but I fear you're rather wrong in that reckoning. I'm surpassed by several years by a man named Sturgeon, and in addition he's far more learned in lore than I. You might want to speak to him in that sort of manner."

Tetra blinked. "But there's no one else here, is there? The island was pretty empty to me…"

"Oh, don't fret over that, dear." Grandma laughed again. "All the folk are quite living and solidly here, I assure you. Everyone else has simply gone in lockdown, you see. We don't get armed visitors that often, and we're rather cautious of them, so I beg your pardon. I fear they won't be out and about for some time yet, either. So I suppose you're going to ask me your question anyway, hm?"

"…Uh. Yeah." Tetra blinked again. Unlike Link, his woman seemed to enjoy talking circles around her visitors.

"Then go ahead, dear. I've time to spare."

"…Okay. Alright. Then." Tetra shook her head, gathering her thoughts again. "Yeah…okay. You see, we're pirates. And pirates have to make a living around here."

"Indeed." Grandma nodded seriously.

"Well, of course, most pirates go about doing this by obtaining treasure. Like my mother." Tetra tried with some difficulty to fight down the knifelike lump that instantly arose by merely mentioning her. She took another spoonful of the now somewhat-cold soup, which helped some. "My mother was also pretty well-told in lore and the history of the Great Sea. She'd always been interested in the past. One day she discovered that there was this great treasure, treasure of a value beyond men's wildest dreams. And this treasure was hidden at the bottom of the sea."

Tetra paused, then sat back. She was beginning to feel much more comfortable, now that she'd started. Grandma now seemed almost a part of her crew, sitting opposite and listening patiently.

"Of course, the Great Sea's a big place. A very big place. And the sea-bottom is no different, I'll warrant. So my mother spent most of the rest of her life searching everywhere for clues, little by little beginning to graph out a location. Or, more correctly, a 'path' set by the goddesses long ago, a path that leads directly to the treasure itself." Again Tetra paused, bracing herself for this next statement. It was going to hurt. But somehow, with was mollified by Grandma's patient, understanding presence. "But my mother - she died unexpectedly when I was nine. Lost overboard in a nasty storm." The words came out blunt and very gruff. Grandma only nodded solemnly, and Tetra continued, feeling her burden lighten somewhat.

"This was bad for us, of course. I had to learn to be captain, and quick, or our little crew wouldn't be long to survive. And I did, with a little bit of time, and a little bit of help. We came out all right in the end, especially financially - my mother had left me her entire fortune, which was pretty big…" and she still didn't know how it could have possibly been so large… "…so you'd think we'd have nothing left to worry about. Me and my crew could have gone our separate ways, settled down, and lived prosperously. But I - I don't want to. Not yet." Here Tetra bit her lip. "I can't settle down knowing that the treasure my mother spent so much of her time searching for is still out there somewhere, unfound. I know she wouldn't want all her work put to waste. I wanted to find it for her. And my crew did too. We had been one big family before that storm…"

Tetra paused, feeling surprised. She had not wanted to blurt out so much of her private life to this lady. But somehow, the fact that she had did not disturb her in the least. Tetra found that she trusted Grandma to keep her secrets…kind of how she would have with Link. With those thoughts she plowed on.

"So we began to search. I had to start from scratch, since all of my mother's discoveries had been lost with her…and it's taken a while. Look ma'am, you have to understand why I'm here." Tetra leaned forward. "I've combed every history book to be found on Windfall Island. I've wandered between every trap-ridden island on the Great Sea. And I've found charts. Traces. Legends. I've managed to actually chart the area of the path - it's hanging on my bedroom wall right now. But I still need something more. I need to know exactly where it is on the surface of the ocean. Without that, it's all for naught." She sat back. "So…I just wanted to know…if perhaps you knew anything. Anything at all. About some great treasure of the past."

There was silence. The hearth crackled quietly. Grandma was still for a moment, face thoughtful.

Finally, she slowly shook her head. "My dear little girl," she said in a soft, almost sad voice. "I see now that you've had much pain. I know how much this treasure obviously means to you. But…" She paused, looking bemused. "I'm afraid I really can't help you. I doubt even old Sturgeon could. Dear, the only lore us people on this island know is that of a great kingdom…which, as some used to call it, was a Treasure of the Great Sea. Such tales have been passed down for many, many generations…we even carry out this kingdom's traditions…but I fear this will be of no help to you. It could not, besides, be the same treasure you seek." She opened her hands helplessly. "I fear I have nothing to tell you, dear. I'm terribly sorry."

Tetra was silent herself. She felt rather numb, hollow inside.

"…Oh…"

This was it. This had been Tetra's last hope, a hope to complete her mother's final wish. But it had resulted in a final dead end, just as she had guessed all along. There was nowhere else to go, nowhere else to search. She had used every link she had known of, and more, but that was all. She was at her straw's end. Her mother's pendant pressed, ice-cold, against her neck.

With an effort, the stunned girl finally managed to rise to her feet. "Well. I'm sorry to hear that." Her own voice sounded strange, cold. "I guess I'll be going on my way now. My men'll be waiting."

But even as she had started for the door, she paused again at Grandma's voice.

"Oh, but dear, I think I have something that might help you!"

She slowly turned around.

"…Really?"

"Yes, yes indeed." Grandma herself was on her feet now, and she managed to come over beside her. "I almost forgot - lass, do you know about fairies?"

Those little balls of glowing light and myth? Sure…

"Yeah, I guess."

"Well then, we might be in luck." Grandma took her hand eagerly. "Dear, did I ever mention that there is a fairy spring here, on Outset? And, what's more, it is also the dwelling place of a Great Fairy! You know what those are as well, I assume?"

Now Tetra's eyes were widening as she understood the implications of this woman's words. A Great Fairy, as old as time itself! Surely…

"Yes, I do!" Suddenly she felt almost as excited as Grandma.

"Then heed my words, dear." Grandma squeezed her hand a little tighter. "You can go there right now if you must, though I fear I can't come with you - my old bones won't permit. That besides, I doubt even a sturdy Rito postman would be able to carry the two of us at once."

"A Rito postman?" Tetra frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you see dear, the bridge to that particular fairy fountain - and the forest you dropped into last time, I might add - is broken, and currently undergoing repairs. The only way to possibly get there would be by flying. And I'm sure a good Rito postman would be able to carry you there easily enough. I expect one should be here soon, to deliver letters from Windfall - there's a nice girl there who writes to Sue-Belle daily, you know. Hmm, what is the time?" Grandma leaned to one side, glancing at a window and gauging the height of the sun. "…Well! He should be here right now! Off you go dear, quick-like now, before you lose him!"

"O-Oh! Right!"

Hardly knowing what she was doing, Tetra found herself dashing through the door, in time to cause an extremely familiar Rito to jump with a startled squawk. Her thoughts, which had been whirling incessantly from the moment Grandma had mentioned the Great Fairy, now stopped as she recognized just who it was.

Quill gazed back incredulously, surprise soon melting into a frown as his feathery eyebrows bunched together.

"Ah, Tetra. I've been wanting to have a word with you…and I must say, I really don't appreciate insults. I suppose you remember Greatfish?"

She remembered all too well. Laughing nervously, Tetra took a step back.

"Oh. Quill. Yeah…uh…look, I can explain…"

* * *

A/N: …Phew. Crap. Four hours of solid writing is not good for a person's eyes, or brain, for that matter.

X.x

I…I don't have the energy to spell-check…so just review, please, and let me know so I can fix it later.

Yes…later…that sounds nice…so I'll see you. Later. :)


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